Vance

Spoken: He was born one mornin` It was cold and it was snowin` And from the start he never had a chance And though the doctors said he couldn`t live His mama had some faith to give `n` they brought him to her and his mama named him Vance He was sick a long time then I used to sit by him I`d rub his head and he would squeeze my hand But he never cried, he`d grit his teeth and smile at me `cause he couldn`t speak And that`s when I began to respect the little man And I think Vance was three right about then He started school and one day He came home and at the doorway I could tell The little man didn`t want to come inside He had met a girl but her boyfriend Smitty Had caught him walkin` home with her And nearly killed Vance But then Vance never cried And the only thing that Smitty hurt was pride And he said (Sung) "Papa do you become a man when you`re twenty-one?" And I said "Age doesn`t make a man a man, my son" Spoken: He looked at me so puzzled with eyes so young and kind `n` I think Vance was seven about that time <brief instrumental interlude> I guess they say that first love is the very best At least it was with Vance `cause he`d scratched "Becky" on his desk But Becky went with Smitty and Vance was very small And he used to dream what it`d be like to be tall And then a few years later Vance came in one day And told me and his mama that he had to go away To be fitted for a uniform And though his mama shed a tear He kissed her and said he`d see us in two years And he looked at me and said "Papa, I`m gonna be a man" <brief instrumental interlude> Well, two years to the day Vance came walkin` in the driveway `n` I didn`t recognize him from his size till he got near He came in and he hugged his mama And said "Hey, Papa, little man, wanna go with me somewhere `n` grab a beer?" So we`re sittin` at this table when This fella at the bar started buggin` Vance Callin` him "Soldier" But Vance kept his cool And he said "Papa, that guy is Smitty and he`s to be pitied now" "cause that`s the same guy that used to bully me in school" Then Smitty said the wrong thing When he brought up Becky`s name `n` Vance finally stood and said "Boy, what did you say?" And it did my heart so much good when Vance hit ole Smitty And it took two of Smitty`s friends to carry him away Well, Vance left the very next mornin` `n` It was cold and it was snowin` And from the first, life hadn`t been much fun But he had finally made a stand `n` He`d become a self-made man and Incidentally, he had just turned twenty-one